Party gives green signal to trio
Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Sept 1: Even though suspense prevailed over the announcement of names of candidates for seven Assembly segments of Jammu region, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) High Command has given green signal to three party candidates including party president J&K UT, Ravinder Raina regarding his nomination from Nowshera Assembly segment of Rajouri district.
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According to sources, besides Raina the party has also given nod to former Deputy CM and senior BJP leader, Kavinder Gupta for his candidature from Bahu Assembly segment in Gandhi Nagar area of Jammu district and party vice president, Pawan Khajuria’s candidature from Udhampur East constituency.
While Raina represented the Nowshera -Sunderbani constituency in last Assembly, Kavinder Gupta won Gandhi Nagar. Pawan Khajuria had contested 2014 Assembly election for Udhampur constituency but had lost to rebel BJP candidate, Pawan Gupta who had fought the election as an Independent.
It may be recalled that suspense remained over the fielding of candidates from seven Assembly segments of Jammu region as there were several party leaders in race for the ticket from these constituencies. As the day for polling for the second and third phase is drawing near, the party today gave green signal to three candidates including BJP president, Ravinder Raina, former DyCM, Kavinder Gupta and party vice president, Pawan Khajuria that their names have been cleared for Nowshera, Bahu and Udhampur East constituencies respectively, party sources told Excelsior.
However, the official announcement regarding the candidature of these leaders has not been made so far. Sources said that party may declare the names of candidates for all seven constituencies and two seats in Srinagar by tomorrow as the time for campaigning is getting reduced day by day and also the party is under constant pressure from the leaders to announce the names of candidates as their counterparts have started campaigning in their respective constituencies.
Sources said the green signal was given to the three party candidates by the senior leadership after a high level BJP meeting here yesterday which was convened by party’s Election Incharge for J&K, Ram Madhav who along with Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh rushed to UT to bring truce among warring factions on ticket distribution.
Sources said for these three Assembly segments there were about three to four members in the race. However, the party Election Committee taking all the aspects in view cleared these three names.
Besides, there are still four Assembly constituencies in Jammu region whose candidates are yet to be announced. These included Kathua town in Kathua district, Bishnah and Marh Assembly segments in Jammu district and Rajouri town in Rajouri district. Except Rajouri all the other three constituencies are reserved for SCs.
Sources said for Kathua constituency three to four names including a senior JKAS officer are in race. In Bishnah also, three candidates including a doctor, a serving DDC member and retired JKAS officer are in race. All the three are trying their best to seek the mandate while for Marh constituency the names of a serving DDC member and two senior party leaders are under consideration, sources added.
Sources said there is suspense over the selection of party candidate from Marh constituency as party could not accommodate the former Minister and two -time MLA Choudhary Sukhnandan from this constituency after it was declared reserved last year.
In Rajouri also there is a tussle between two senior party leaders as both are pressing senior leadership for ticket. One of the leader’s, as per sources, has threatened to file his nomination papers as Independent candidate in case he was not given mandate.
Out of 43 Assembly segments in Jammu division, the BJP has announced the candidates for 36 constituencies which included eight seats for all three districts of Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban going to polls on September 18.
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